Lets talk the cost cutting measures in vehicles started years ago.

[SC Maintenance]

Value engineering is a thing in every industry. They invent something - then spend twice as much effort trying to make it cheaper.

Most of the lightening / cheapening is integrated with improving Cafe ratings. If not for Cafe, for example we would still have equally crappy transmissions, but they would still be 3 speeds.

The peak era for cars I am sure is 1996 to 2008 Design window - so they may extend slightly in either direction from that window for production possibly - model dependent. In 1996 OBD 2 and hence full closed loop control was mandates. In 2008 the accelerated Cafe standards kicked in so things got exponentially lighter and less robust. If you have a well maintained vehicle from that period - keep it. Its not getting any better.

 

[Exhaustgases]

The use of junk materials, over use of aluminum (easy to work with), and incorrect alloys and heat treating.
Like its all designed to deteriorate to either sell parts or new cars.

 

[Exhaustgases]

Most automatic transmissions, for a very long time have used corrugated stamped tin cans for clutch packs, in the old days they were all machined. Was just watching a video about a hybrid transmission and noticed the top quality "machined" clutch drum, just like in the old days. Go figure.

 

[Lubener]

The overuse of plastic for engine components. Intake manifolds comes to mind. Got to be cheaper than aluminum and little if any weight savings.

 

[Vitamin Yoda]

The overuse of plastic for engine components. Intake manifolds comes to mind. Got to be cheaper than aluminum and little if any weight savings.

You don't want the intake manifold to heat soak, and there are polycarbonate plastics that are stronger than steel.

 

[SC Maintenance]

You don't want the intake manifold to heat soak, and there are polycarbonate plastics that are stronger than steel.

Yes, I have had many "plastic" intakes and valve covers and yet to have a problem. Not to mention its far easier to get the shape they want with plastic.

Cracked exhaust manifolds are far more common - because they go to thin to save weight. If they made an aluminum intake it would be paper thin.

 

[Lubener]

You don't want the intake manifold to heat soak, and there are polycarbonate plastics that are stronger than steel.

Everytime I had to replace an intake manifold it was a plastic one.

 

[Carmudgeon]

On the flip side, almost all vehicles now have power windows, A/C, decent stereo systems, and upholstery that doesn't match the vinyl booths at the diner.

And on the safety side, ABS/traction control, airbags, rear view cameras, TPMS, and other advancements, standard, even if due to regulatory mandate. Those things still don't come at zero cost.

Frankly, I'm not wearing any rose colored glasses that the cars of the 60's-80's were materially better in many respects. They still had crappy plastics, crappy headlights, were slow, handled like crap, rusty, and 100k usually meant time's up in terms of hitting the scrap yard.

 

[PF52]

....my old man had an '86 Reliant without a passenger side mirror.

My dad had a '90 Accord without a passenger-side mirror..... It boggled my mind that such an omission was still possible at that late date. That car also lacked a rear defrost, bringing back memories of my '79 Nova which also lacked the right side mirror and rear defrost, and on cold days would fog up inside creating an enormous blind spot on that side. Occasionally I'd have to pull over to wipe the rear window just so I could see in case I had to change lanes!

 

[PF52]

GM sharing engines in the 70’s

Sure, but can you imagine the outcry they'd have gotten eventually if they didn't start sharing engines? "No wonder they're bankrupt, look they're making a Chevy V8 and an Buick V8 and a Pontiac V8 and a Cadillac V8..." It was a case of "****ed if they do, ****ed if they don't".

 

[michaelluscher]

On the flip side, almost all vehicles now have power windows, A/C, decent stereo systems, and upholstery that doesn't match the vinyl booths at the diner.

And on the safety side, ABS/traction control, airbags, rear view cameras, TPMS, and other advancements, standard, even if due to regulatory mandate. Those things still don't come at zero cost.

Frankly, I'm not wearing any rose colored glasses that the cars of the 60's-80's were materially better in many respects. They still had crappy plastics, crappy headlights, were slow, handled like crap, rusty, and 100k usually meant time's up in terms of hitting the scrap yard.

100% agree

The good old day's weren't always good, and tomorrow ain't as bad as it seems

Tungsten lights, blower rear defrost, rear drums objectively sucked
They worked, but we can do better now

While the '84 Civic was a fine car (and a certified classic), I'd much rather commute in a '24

 

[BMWTurboDzl]

It can be everything from design to materials.

I'll start with Transaxles. And plenty more on the list.

I remember some folks in the new days of transaxles thinking how nice they and front wheel drive was. I kept saying yeah, just wait till they need a rebuild or replacement. You know all the extra work to R and R them, compared to the conventional design.

Then there is the loss of steering on a slippery surface when punching the gas pedal.

Gauge of automotive wiring.

 

[Capt W]

As bad as de-contenting is the never-ending list of government mandates, which have obviously driven up the cost of buying a new car. You WILL have: side-door intrusion beams, air bags, TPMS, rear-vew cameras, etc., etc., etc. And the list will never stop growing.

Glad I still have my '86 Daytona to drive daily. And if the engine/trans ever give out I'll happily rebuild them.

 

[14Accent]

Back when I had my Marauder I remember there being pre- and post-"decontenting" models referred to as "300A" and "300B".

The 300B's removed things like:

Remote fuel door release
Rear package tray speaker grills
Front seat map pockets
Automatic e-brake release
Donut spare instead of full-size

 

[dishdude]

rear drums objectively sucked

Rear drums? Can you imagine front drums? I heard if you drove through a puddle they quit working

 

[zzyzzx]

8 (or motre) speed autos & CVTs-guaranteed to break, BIG BUCK$ to replace, many not rebuildable at all!

They are almost always rebuildable or repairable. It's just that often requires diagnostics and/or enough IQ points to do it. That and they know if the only thing that they typically offer is an expensive rebuild or new that's simply way more profitable for them you will:

 

[zzyzzx]

And the demographics on this board shine through......

 

[wpod]

Neither of you young whippersnappers know what a manual mirror is. Back in my day a manual mirror was a tab connected by cables that you moved around to get the glass to move on the left and right mirrors. This was how life was in the late 1900's.

My 70 Challenger had those type of side mirror adjusters.

 

[GMBoy]

I think all manufacturers do this but I am going to focus on GM in this post. If you ever notice when a NEW model is rolled out check the content. The very next model year or year after is when things start to get deleted/changed to save costs. Here are few examples I have readily in my memory having witnessed them first hand either in my car purchases or during my time at GM.

SATURN S-SERIES: I had a fully loaded 92 SL2. Alum wheels were standard with teardrop style alum optional. Also had a 3 gauges across the top of the cluster (Temp, gas and oil press). The following year (93) you lost the standard alum wheel (steel with hubcaps standard) and lost the oil press gauge. There were other things as well but they stood out as the most obvious and in your face cost cutting.

GMT900 TRUCKS: So much cost cutting here. Thru the years you lost the low oil sensor, less sound insulation, metal to plastic sway bar links etc.

Cadillac CTS: my 2008 has full interior ambiance lighting - in the dash, door pads and foot well illumination. 2009+ deleted the foot well lighting but you could by an upgrade kit thru the dealership. Several other things as well that the normal person won't notice.

MOST GM CARS - used to be leather/vinyl seats then they started putting cheap cloth on the sides of the seat bottoms that get hidden by the floor console.

I have so many examples from the production line as well but we will save that for another post LOL

 

[Exhaustgases]

You don't want the intake manifold to heat soak, and there are polycarbonate plastics that are stronger than steel.

Yeah stronger than steel, I had a chainsaw sales person tell me that 50 years ago about the plastic crap they started to build them out of.
A spider web is stronger than steel too. All is fine until a real world high temperature load is applied. Plastic is not a substitute for metals.

Heat soak? In the old days carbs were heated and even now throttle bodies have heat from coolant.
The only time heat gets in the way is high performance, heat is a good thing for fuel evaporation and economy.

Back on topic now !

Huge cost cutting using open deck design. And adds to the rest of the idiocy of modern automotive engine design of now.